We’ve all heard people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And while it’s true that breakfast starts your day on a positive note, there’s something about a delicious lunch that can uplift your spirit and turn a good day into a great one. Here are our favourite lunch spots around town that offer exclusive daytime deals to ensure that we make the most of the middle of the day.

Express Lunch at Saint Alice
For under $20, you could live your best life, perched high on the rooftop of this Viaduct Harbour restaurant. Saint Alice’s weekday-only Lunch Express menu exceeds all expectations of a typical lunch and asks why you’d settle for a regular sandwich when you could tuck into an open steak sandwich with a side of golden crispy potatoes. Other dishes include a seasonal vegetarian pasta, fried chicken burger, Caesar salad and our favourite crispy fried fish tacos.

Fun Cha at Seven 
Seven’s new Fun Cha menu offers dishes such as Big Glory Bay salmon tacos, popcorn shrimp, an array of dumplings and baos. And with its innovative ordering system, lunch at the rooftop spot in Britomart has never looked better. On each table, diners are provided with a menu checklist and pencil. They can then pick what they want by ticking the boxes — one item from each of the sections (larger plates not included) and for just $25 will receive a starter, a main and a side or for another $5, an accompanying beverage too.

Luncheonette at Culprit
Every dinner we’ve experienced at Culprit has blown us away so you can only imagine our excitement when we heard that Kyle Street and Jordan MacDonald would be extending their delicious offering into the daytime as well. From Monday to Friday, for only $37, Culprit offers a three-course lunch, seeing diners receive an entrée, a main and a dessert. Or the option of two-courses for $27. Dishes like oyster kumara po’ boy sandwiches, angel hair vongole pasta, agnolotti, and milk chocolate panna cotta are included on the menu and if you’re vying for a long lunch, indulge in one of Culprit’s delectable cocktails to keep you going all afternoon.

Locals Lunch at Andiamo
Herne Bay locals can’t seem to get enough of Andiamo Eatery. So much so, that the restaurant has introduced a new lunchtime deal that runs from Tuesday to Thursday, aptly named, Locals Lunch. Comprising a menu of modern Italian cuisine, including bruschettas, arancini balls, pasta with chicken meatballs and potato gnocchi, Andiamo allows its diners to choose an entrée, a main and a crisp glass of rosé for $35, making for a delightful and delicious experience.

Lunch at Han
Opt for something different from your usual and make your way to the renowned modern Korean restaurant, Han in Parnell. Head Chef, Min Baek has created a few dishes that are exclusively available at lunch from Wednesday to Friday. Some of his tastiest work to date, the dishes include a Korean-style hot dog and a K-Bowl (one of Baek’s specialities) that sees a bowl of mixed grains topped with Korean gravlax, creamy avocado purée and a poached egg. Han also offers a two-course lunch for $40 which features a Korean BBQ platter and gives diners the option to finish with a dessert for an extra $10.

Federal St Lunch Club at The Sugar Club
If you’re wanting to pair your lunch with one of the best views in Auckland, take yourself up the iconic Sky Tower and get amongst the Federal St Lunch Club menu at The Sugar Club. Available from Wednesday until Sunday, diners can tuck into two courses — the first either wagyu, duck breast or fish cooked in chicken fat, the second a sweet treat. Our favourite dessert would have to be the malted milk mousse. It’s creamy and deliciously unique with the surprising addition of pungent black olives (a must-try).

Lunch for two at Jervois Steak House 
Given that steak and fries is a meal we can eat at any time of the day Jervois Steak House’s $85 lunchtime offering for two, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, has become a go-to. The meal includes two mains (those who don’t want steak can get the fish or gnocchi instead), two sides which could include the restaurant’s renowned truffle mac and cheese or onion rings and to top it all off, two glasses of wine.

Four-course lunch at Kazuya 
Having created a dish that showcases over 30 vegetables on a single plate, Kazuya has garnered a reputation for its culinary creativity. And with its four-course lunch menu, diners can now get a taste of it during the day. Although the plethora of vegetables is only available during dinner service, the lunch offerings ensure an experience that is just as enjoyable. On Fridays, for $60, diners are treated to Kazuya’s acclaimed housemade bread, an entrée of their choice, a pasta of the day and a main dish of fish, roasted duck breast or Wakanui beef.